Health problems presented in general practice by survivors before and after a fireworks disaster: Associations with mental health care

Figures & data

Table I.  Demographic characteristics of survivors who attended a specialized mental health institution (MHI) and non-attenders (control group).

	MHI (n = 728)	Controls (n = 728)
Mean age (SD) in years	39.6 (13.7)	39.8 (14.0)
Male/female	347 (48%)/381 (52%)	346 (48%)/382 (52%)
Lost home	242 (33%)	242 (33%)
Dutch origin	449 (62%)	449 (62%)

Table II.  Mean number of GP contacts pre- and post-disaster of patients who attended a specialized mental health institution (MHI) and non-attenders (control group).

	MHI		Controls
Time	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	p-value^1
One year pre-disaster	6.3	7.0	4.6	5.8	0.000^1
First year post-disaster	8.6^2	8.4	4.8	5.7	0.000^1
Second year post-disaster	8.2^2	8.4	4.8	6.3	0.000^1

¹Significant difference between groups within periods; ²significant difference from one year pre-disaster within groups (p < 0.001).

Table III.  The seven most prevalent health problems (in clusters), per 100, presented to the general practitioner pre- and post-disaster in MHI and control groups.

	MHI (n = 728)						Controls (n = 728)
Cluster of symptoms and diseases	One year Pre-disaster		First year post-disaster		Second year post-disaster		One year Pre-disaster		First year post-disaster		Second year post-disaster
	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n
MUPS	53.7^2	391	61.7^1,2	449	59.5^1,2	433	44.5^2	234	41.6^2	303	45.1^2	328
Chronic	37.8^2	275	36.1^2	263	45.6^1,2	332	28.2^2	205	28.3^2	206	33.0^2	240
Psychological	24.6^2	179	70.7^1,2	515	57.7^1,2	420	15.1^2	110	35.4^1,2	258	23.6^1,2	172
Musculoskeletal	32.6^2	237	39.0^1,2	284	34.5^2	251	23.5^2	171	24.7^2	180	26.6^2	194
Gastrointestinal	19.0	138	24.0^1,2	175	19.8	144	15.8	115	14.7^2	107	15.0	109
Respiratory	19.8	144	20.1^2	146	22.4^2	163	18.3	133	12.6^1,2	92	15.8^2	115
Skin	19.2	140	18.8	137	20.9^2	152	15.0	109	14.1	103	12.9^2	94

*MHI = mental health institution; MUPS = medically unexplained physical symptoms; ¹statistically significant differences from 1 year pre-disaster within groups (χ²; p < 0.01); ²statistically significant differences between groups within periods (χ²; p < 0.01).